The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office made headlines with a daring arrest using a cutting-edge drone technology. In what they called a "first in the nation," the sheriff's office used a drone equipped with a magnet to disarm a wanted man, pulling a knife from his hand without risking the life of a single officer.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday when the sheriff's office posted a video to social media showing how its officers used emerging technology to arrest 30-year-old Austin Carter, who was holed up inside his home. Carter was being pursued by law enforcement for violating his parole and is a registered sex offender with a lengthy criminal history.
A SWAT team arrived at Carter's home to apprehend him, but negotiators made repeated attempts to establish communication and have Carter surrender peacefully, which he refused. Deputies then flew the drone into Carter's home and located him in the corner of his garage, where they attached a powerful magnet to the drone in an attempt to wrest away the knife he was clutching.
Footage from the drone shows it hovering right above Carter, who was lying down and unresponsive. Suddenly, the knife flew upward, out of his hand and onto the magnet. After that, deputies used a robotic K9 unit to remove all obstacles in the garage, allowing them to more easily get to Carter.
Two heavily armed officers could be seen dragging Carter out of the house as he writhed and tried to break free from their grip. Once Carter was subdued, paramedics immediately rendered aid, as authorities believed he had consumed a large quantity of drugs while barricaded inside the garage.
Carter was transported to a local hospital, where he was medically cleared, and then taken to the Sacramento County Main Jail, where he is being held without bail. He faces multiple felony charges, including violating his parole conditions.
